Budget 2016-17: Most technology-oriented budgets we’ve ever seen says Cisco India

NEW DELHI: Cisco India and SAARC President Dinesh Malkani has welcomed Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s General Budget 2016-17 speech in Lok Sabha.

Let’s go through Malkani reaction on Budget 2016-17

Malkani said that for the IT industry, the budget has outlined proposals and schemes that add thrust to the Government’s vision of digitization in India. The budget has been one of the most technology-oriented budgets we’ve ever seen.

“From technology platforms and data analytics to automation, the Finance Minister has bet largely on technology to encourage the digitization of G2C platforms, digital literacy, employment generation, and Smart Cities,” he said.

“The Internet and education are great equalisers and the government’s push for skills development of 1 crore youth in the next 3 years is a powerful initiative to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy,” he added.

“The Finance Minister’s balanced nine-pillar approach shows a determination to keep India’s fiscal deficit at 3.5% with prudent themes of realizing social, financial and physical infrastructure. The Budget continues to focus on infrastructure and the rural and sector with planned investments that will not only create jobs but also drive economic growth. I believe the specific measures to improve ease of doing business and the favourable tax treatment for start-ups and MSMEs will go a long way in employment generation through indigenization,” Malkani said.

“I believe India is well on its way to becoming one of the largest digitized countries in the world. With today’s budget, the government has taken dynamic steps to nurture local innovation and entrepreneurship, generate jobs, diversify the economy and support sustainable growth. We look forward to partnering with the government in its various initiatives,” he added.